Compassion & Choices Action Network today applauded the Senate Judiciary Committee for approving the Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act (HB 47) with a vote of (5-3). The legislation would allow terminally ill, mentally capable adults the option to obtain prescription medication they could take to die peacefully and end unbearable suffering. The bill now advances to the Full Senate for a final vote. If the bill clears the Senate, it will go to the Governor’s desk for her signature.

“The Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act has taken many years to get to this point,” said Senator Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Stefanics (D-39).  “It is very well-crafted legislation with strict safeguards. I am hopeful my colleagues in the Senate will support this urgent and compassionate bill, as members in the House did, so we can send it to Governor Lujan’s desk for her signature.”

Earlier this month, the Senate Public Affairs Committee voted (5-3) to pass HB 47. The vote came just days after the House of Representatives approved the compassionate bill by a vote of 39-27. It was the first time the full House of Representatives held a floor vote on a medical aid-in-dying bill. In 2019, the legislation cleared the House Health & Human Services Committee, House Judiciary Committee and Senate Health & Public Affairs Committee, but neither the full House nor the Senate considered it.

The bill is also especially important to New Mexico native and civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, a Catholic, whose mother died painfully from cancer. Dolores Huerta recorded videos in English  and Spanish to urge fellow New Mexicans to support the Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act (HB 47) in her home state.

“The Dolores Huerta Foundation believes all terminally-ill Americans should have the option to decide when they want to put an end to their suffering to die peacefully,” Dolores said during a recent interview. “End-of-life care options are a civil issue. I hope and pray that the New Mexico Legislature makes it a priority to pass the Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act in 2021.”

Elizabeth Armijo, national advocacy director for Compassion & Choices Action Network, thanked committee members and reiterated Dolores’ urgency of passing the compassionate bill before the March 20 deadline.

“Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee clearly heard the voices of New Mexicans today and courageously acted on behalf of them,” said Elizabeth Armijo national advocacy director for Compassion & Choices Action Network. “Terminally-ill patients should have the end-of-life care option of a peaceful death.”

The most recent national Gallup poll, conducted in May 2020, a few months after COVID-19 reached the pandemic level, shows 74% of Americans support medical aid in dying. This is a 6-point jump from the 68% support in Gallup’s pre-pandemic poll in May 2019 (see question 15 on page 2).

It has been 22 years since Oregon became the first state to enact a medical aid in dying law. Collectively, there are more than 40 years of combined evidence and cumulative data with medical aid in dying authorized in Oregon and the nine other authorized jurisdictions. Now, more than one  in every five Americans (22%) have access to this compassionate end-of-life care option.

Compassion & Choices is comprised of two organizations that improve care and expand options at life’s end: Compassion & Choices (501(c)(3)) educates, empowers, defends, and advocates; the Compassion & Choices Action Network (501(c)(4)) focuses exclusively on legislation, ballot campaigns, and limited electoral work. 

Paid for by Compassion & Choices Action Network.

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